Vibrated knife



Sept 11, 1952 A. LANDES 3,052,981

VIBRATED KNIFE Filed Aug. 17, 1960 .Z Cr. Y l 5 INVENTOR.

LF/Qf /VDEJ' United States Patent O 3,052,981 VIBRATED KNIFE Alfred Landes, Rego Park, N.Y., assignor to Minitone Electronics, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 17, 1960, Ser. No. 50,162 3 Claims. (Cl. 30 272) This invention relates to hand-held cutting knives in general and more particularly to a knife of this type having means for imparting vibratory motion to the knife blade while the blade is cutting.

When an ordinary household knife is used to cut such foods as meat or cheese of substantial thickness, the initial penetration is usually accomplished very readily. However, as the knife blade penetrates more deeply, the material previously cut falls back against the sides of the blade and a high frictional force is established which resists further cutting.

The prior art has provided numerous means for vlbrating a knife blade in an attempt to assist the user thereof. The means is usually of complica-ted construction and is such that a longitudinal vibrating motion is imparted to the blade. That is, the vibratory motion acts in the plane of movement of the knife .during the cutting operation. Thus, this means must overcome the frictional forces hereinbefore mentioned.

The complicated constructions of the prior art devices not only made them costly but alsomade them bulky. In addition, they were of odd shapes, so that there was usually a reluctance on the part of the housewife to utilize these devices.

This invention provides means of simple construction for imparting vibratory motion to a knife blade during the cutting operation. The vibratory motion is directed transverse to the plane of motion of the cutting blade. This motion tends to separate from the sides of the blades the material cut previously, so that the fn'ctional forces mentioned above are substantially eliminated and the cutting operation can proceed with a minimum of effort.

This is accomplished by providing a vibration establishing means comprising an eccentric mounted to the output shaft of a Vbattery operated DJC. motor. The output shaft extends in a direction parallel to the plane of movement of the blade during the cutting operation and rotates the eccentric in a plane at right angles to the plane of motion of the blade. The continuously rotated eccentric causes the blade to vibrate perpendicular to its plane of motion during cutting.

The batteries, motor and eccentric are arranged in an assembly which is readily clamped to the handle of a conventional knife used for household purposes. The assembly is so compact that it is hand-holdable. The assembly includes an actuating switch which is conveniently positioned for operation with the same hand that is holding the device.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a novel means for vibrating a knife blade during the cutting operation.

Another object is to provide means for vibrating a knife blade in directions transverse to the cutting plane of the knife blade.

Still another object is to provide means for vibrating a knife blade with this means being so compact as to be hand-holdable.

A further object is to provide means for vibrating a knife blade, with this means comprising a continuously rotatable member mounted eccentrically to a shaft extending substantially parallel to the cutting plane of the knife blade.

A still further object is to provide means for vibrat- 3,052,981 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 2 ing a knife blade, with this means being readily disconnectible from the knife blade and having an actuating switch which is operable by the hand holding the knife during the cutting operation.

These as well as other objects of this invention shall become readily apparent after reading the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a side elevation partially sectioned of a knife and a vibrating means thereof constructed in -accordance with the teachings of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the device of FIGURE l with certain elements removed to more clearly illustrate other elements.

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective of the vibration producing means and the means for clamping the knife in place.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section taken through line 4 4 of FIGURE l looking in the direction of arrows 4 4.

FiGURE 5 is a cross-section taken through line 4 4 of FIGURE l looking in the direction of arrows 4 4 with the clamping device positioned so that the knife may -be separated from the vibration producing means.

Now referring to the figures. Knife 10 is very similar to a standard household knife and comprises an elongated blade 11 having at one end thereof a iixedly secured Wooden handle 12. The vibration producing means broadly comprises a D.C. motor 13, a battery pack 14 mounted at one end of motor 13, an eccentrically mounted member 15 on the output shaft 16 of motor 13, which extends from the opposite end of motor 13, and a clamping means 17 mounted to the other end of motor 13.

Motor 13 and battery pack 14 are generally of the type described in the copending application, Serial No. 700,789, led December 5, 1957, and entitled Driving Means, now Patent 2,963,598. The battery pack includes a frame-like holder 21 for a plurality of serially connected penlight cells 22. A slideable switch member 23 is mounted to one of the struts 24 of frame 21. Insulated operating handle 25 is mounted by means of the screw 26 to the upper end of switch member 23. In FIGURE 1 switch member 23 is shown in its lowermost position with the lower edge of handle 25 abutting the upper edge of housing 27. Housing 27 is a generally cylindrical member constructed of insulating material which surrounds frame 21 and is removably mounted thereto.

In the position of FIGURE l switch member 23 is in the Off position. By sliding switch member 23 upward until the transverse portion 28 thereof engages the top .disk 29 of frame 2.1, the inwardly extending dimple 30 engages terminal member 31 of motor 13.

As is fully explained in my aforesaid copending application 700,789, strut 24 is electrically connected to one terminal of the serially connected cells 22. Terminal 23 abuts one end of coil spring 32, Whose other end abuts brush 33 of motor 13. Thus, a complete electrical path is established between one terminal of the serially connected cells 22 and :brush 33, when switch member 23 is in its uppermost position. The other terminal of the serially connected cells 22 is permanently connected to the other brush of motor 13. Thus, with switch member 23 in its uppermost position, motor 13y is energized.

Clamping means 17 comprises a generally cylindrical member 41 which defines a recess 42 into which knife handle 12 is inserted. Member 41 is provided with an internal ledge 43 against which the upper edge of ring clamp collar 44 abuts. Elongated threaded member 45 is secured at one end thereof to collar 44 and extends radially outward therefrom projecting through clearance aperture 46 of member 41. Thumb screw 47, positioned 3 externally of member 41, is threadably mounted to member 4S.

The upper edge of ring 4S abuts the lower edge of collar 44. The lower edge of member 48 abuts closure disk 49 which is secured by means of screws 50 to the lower edge of member 41 and thereby maintains member 48 and collar 44 within recess 42.

Elongated studs 51 extend through clearance apertures 52 in closure disk 49, through clearance apertures 53 in cylindrical housing 54, through clearance apertures 55 in end brackets 56, 57 of motor 13, as well as through clearance apertures in frame 21 and are engaged by nuts 58 to cooperate therewith in retaining the elements previously mentioned in operative position. Cylindrical member 54 provides a housing for rotatable eccentrically mounted member 15.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, collar 44 is disposed Within annular groove S8 of knife handle 12. Thumb screw 17 has been manipulated so as to draw collar 44 to the left with respect to FIGURE 1. This forces knife handle 12 securely against the interior surface of member 41 so that knife 10 is firmly clamped to the vibration producing means. In order to release knife 10, thumb screw 17 is manipulated so that collar 44 moves to the position illustrated in FIGURE ont of handle groove 58.

In operation, battery pack handle 14 is grasped in the palm of the operators hand. Switch handle 25 is conveniently positioned so as to be operable by the thumb of the operator, with this thumb being on the same hand as the one holding housing 14. With switch member 23 in its uppermost position, motor 13 is actuated, causing eccentrically mounted member 1S to be continuously rotated.

It is noted that motor shaft 16 extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of knife blade 11 and that member 15 rotates in a plane perpendicular to this longitudinal axis. Thus, member 15 causes the entire mechanism illustrated in FIGURE 1 to vibrate in directions transverse to the longitudinal axis of knife blade 11. It has been found that this type of vibration materially reduces the eiort required to slice many types of foodstuffs and particularly meat and cheese of substantial thickness.

Although I have here described a preferred embodiment of my novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art, and I therefore prefer to be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only -by the appending claims.

I claim:

1. In combination an elongated flat knife blade, a rst means for inducing vibrations in said blade, a driving means for actuating said' irst means, and a second means for removably mounting said blade to said driving means; said rst means comprising a member rotatable by said driving means in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis and plane of said blade to thereby vibrate said blade in directions transverse to its longitudinal axis; a stub handle lixedly secured tol said blade at one end thereof and in which the second means includes a portion dehning a recess into which said stub handle is entered, a collar disposed within said recess and surrounding said stub handle, means secured to said collar and extending externally of said portion defining said recess for adjusting the position of said collar and thereby clamping said stub handle against the interior surface of the meansl deining the recess.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the driving means comprises a D C. motor and a battery pack for energizing said motor, a housing for said battery pack constructed and positioned at one end of said blade to serve as a handle therefor which is holdable in the palm of the hand; means for maintaining said blade against relative movement with respect to said handle during operation of said motor.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 inV which the motor includes an output shaft extending generally par- References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,390,702 Hammond Sept. 13, 1921 1,428,565 Serene Sept. 12, 1922 1,558,327 Adelmo Oct. 20, 1925 1,592,309 Moon July 1-3, 1926 1,834,103 Moon Dec. 1, 1931 2,027,397 Meyer Jan.` 14, 1936 2,040,683 Biniek May 12, 1936 2,054,287 Bohm Sept. 15, 1936 2,054,418 Bohm Sept. 15, 1936 2,078,845 Goldschmidt Apr. 27, 1937 2,301,147 Schaaf et al. Nov. 3, 1942 2,552,688 Partridge May 15, 1951v 2,958,355 Young Nov. 1, 1960 2,984,005 Evich May 16, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 753,902 France Aug. 21, 1933 

